In the year 2019 listening to music has never been easier. Music streaming apps litter our phones and tablets so we can take songs and podcasts with us anywhere we want to go. Having your favorite music around seems to be important for happiness and well-being and it’s getting even more important as we continue to make more accessible ways to listen to music. 

 

Headphones used to be the saddest, smallest speakers stuck inside a rubber cord that tethered you to your music source, limiting your actions while listening. However, the use of Bluetooth headphones (although rocky at first) created a whole new world of accessibility and enjoyability. Some companies, like Audio-Technica, have taken this task to create the perfect Bluetooth headset for you and me.

 

I’ve been using the ATH-SR30BT wireless headphones from Audio-Technica for almost a year and I’ve found them to have a lot of positives from the way the headphones look to how they function, as well as the incredibly long battery life. I haven’t been able to tear myself away from them to use a different pair; even lamenting when I found I had left them at home and were forced to use my emergency earbuds. The headphones are wonderful for if you’re moving around working, or even just for lazing around your room. 

 

The SR30BT has a nice minimal, simple design. It doesn’t try to impress with loud, obnoxious colors or decorations but rather favors the sleek, classy feel. I’ll admit the color options have pretentious names like “dark charcoal” instead of just saying black but there’s no effect in the look or function. It’s just good for a chuckle. 

The headphones have foldable ear pieces which helps with travel immensely. I prefer to travel light, choosing only to carry an underside backpack. With these folded up and put at the bottom I still have room for all my other junk I’m in denial about not needing to carry around. They can fit in the palms of both my hands when they’re collapsed completely (more than in the picture shows) so you can imagine they don’t take up too much space. 

 

On the left ear around the backside there are three buttons (as well as a microphone), which is all you need to control your songs and calls. There’s a switch to turn it on and an indicator light which will blink when it’s not connected and searching for devices. Holding down the main button will turn sync on, allowing you to easily switch between phones and tablets. The other two buttons are used for volume and for skipping tracks. 

To be honest this is one of the few pairs of headphones I can wear for hours on end without developing a headache from wearing them. I also wear them on top of glasses which also works well. They don’t squeeze hard or cause any discomfort at all.

When it comes to the quality of sound I don’t believe you’d be able to tell the difference between these and a wired set. The buttons are fast to respond no matter where your phone is, and the sound is crisp and clean. When you start them up a voice comes over to tell you if it’s connected and also offers a low battery warning. 

One thing that gets a special mention is the incredible range the headphones have. If you’re like me and move around a lot when you work these are perfect. I can carry bits of drywall and other trash out of basements to the garbage outside without having to worry about if my phone is in my back pocket because I don’t want to disconnect from my music. The first time I experienced the extended range I was blown away. I left my room, went down to my basement to do some laundry and kept the signal the entire time. 

The headphones may have a lot of good things so far, but I haven’t gotten to the best part.

70 hours of battery life. 

It’s not a joke, they’re dead serious. There were two pairs in my house to experiment with and use. After using both of them casually for six months I had to finally charge one of them. I had gotten them in January and it was JUNE before they needed more juice. They’ve seemed to have mastered technology for people like me who forget to turn the headphones off after each use. Doesn’t matter, there’s always more power no matter how long you leave them on. As long as nothing’s playing through them it doesn’t drain the battery. 

The ATH-SR30BT retails on Audio-Technica’s site at £89.00 (98.01 USD) and to be honest they’re almost a steal at that price. They’re durable, they look nice, posses easy functions and have incredible range and battery. Out of all of the audio listening devices I got from CES 2019 these are easily the best. They’re so good that they’re the only headset you’ll ever need to listen to the songs and podcasts that bring you joy and happiness.



https://eu.audio-technica.com/headphones/bluetooth/ATH-SR30BT